SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott caught a smile flashing across Trevor Lawrence's face following the Tigers' pregame meal before Monday night's championship game against Alabama, the Tigers' first signal that even this moment, the biggest in the sport, wouldn't be too much for the 19-year-old true freshman quarterback.

Not long after the meal, Lawrence was briefed by Elliott, co-coordinator Jeff Scott and quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter, who hammered home the same message the coaching staff had preached throughout his three-month stint as the Tigers' starting quarterback: "You're prepared for this," Scott said. "You're more than prepared for this."

"I believe you’re the best quarterback in the country. I believe you’re going to be the best quarterback on the field tonight. I think that’s going to show. You don’t have to do anything more than what you’ve done all year long. Be special."

A star was born on Monday night here in the Bay Area, one with long, flowing blond locks, a powerful right arm and an aura of serenity even among the highest stakes there is to offer — a College Football Playoff National Championship game pairing with Alabama, the fourth meeting in as many years between two powers who straddle side by side atop the Bowl Subdivision. By embracing the moment and leading Clemson to a 44-16 submission of the Crimson Tide, Lawrence put the finishing touches on a stunning first chapter in what will almost inevitably be a historic college career.

"Hopefully there are no more questions about just how special he really is," Elliott said. "He’s worked his whole life for moments like this. He wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass."

Lawrence completed 20 throws in 32 attempts for 347 yards. He tossed three touchdowns without an interception. More than 200 of his passing yards came on third down, via the sort of sideline-to-sideline, on-the-money throws coveted by NFL offenses. Helped by an impressive collection of underclassmen talent at wide receiver — including another true freshman, Justyn Ross, who was the game's second star — Lawrence unveiled a skill set unmatched by any true freshman at his position in the history of the sport.

"He just went out there and played his ass off and killed it," said offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt, a four-year starter and key cog for each of the Tigers' two championship-winning teams under Dabo Swinney.

Asked to grade his own performance, Lawrence beamed, leaned back his head and said, "We won the national championship, so pretty high."

Trevor Lawrence credited Clemson’s senior class for helping him achieve success so early in his college career. pic.twitter.com/7f33Fo6dEY

Through the years, Nick Saban-led Alabama has been dinged by a certain type of quarterback, the dual-threat runner and passer, the athletic thrower capable of loosening up defenses on the ground and carving out explosive plays in the passing game. Lawrence, while mobile enough, is a traditional pocket passer seemingly designed with one purpose: to be the next great quarterback, the heir to Peyton Manning, a comparison that's "not far off," said linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

"That’s exactly what God did for that man," offensive lineman Jackson Carmen said of Lawrence. "He went to the lab and built a great one. Man, this kid is ridiculous, bro."

It's not supposed to be like this. True freshmen are supposed to struggle, especially at quarterback. Only once before Monday night had a rookie led his team to a national title, Jamelle Holieway at Oklahoma in 1985. Lawrence wasn't even the starter until the last weekend of September, instead playing backup to incumbent starter Kelly Bryant, who has since transferred to Missouri. Good as he was pegged to be, and he was the top recruit in the country in last year's recruiting class, Lawrence wasn't supposed to do this, and certainly not against Alabama.

The only group not surprised is Clemson. The sideline nudges over brilliant throws, the wide-eyed amazement and knowing laughs ended months ago, if not before he even ascended to the starting role. Clemson's capacity for surprise when it comes to the true freshman was exhausted long before the championship game — the Tigers would've been taken aback if he hadn't delivered. Monday night only confirmed what teammates and coaches already knew: Lawrence operates on a different level.

"Trevor’s just Trevor," center Justin Falcinelli said. Leading a win against Alabama was "just a glimpse of things to come."

Lawrence "always amazed us," Simmons said, "but that's just him. That's what he does on the regular."

Asked to describe how Lawrence orchestrated the Clemson offense, Saban replied, "Well, it was no surprise to me."

And he's a freshman. He's not perfect, offensive coaches said, and wasn't perfect on Monday night. He can work on his consistency. He missed on a few plays against Alabama, said Scott, if not making any major errors than not always making the perfect decision. No one is perfect, not even the perfect quarterback prospect.

But to nitpick this national coming-out performance is to invent flaws where none may exist. Rather than asking whether Lawrence is the best freshman quarterback in the history of college football — now a moot point — a better question might ask whether Lawrence is now, at this moment, the best quarterback in the Bowl Subdivision. Given how he outplayed Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and with Kyler Murray gone from Oklahoma, the answer seems obvious.

"It really wasn’t a surprise," said Scott. "That’s probably the biggest compliment we can give him. It’s not a lot of moments on the sideline where it’s, ‘Oh, wow, look at Trevor.’ It’s just kind of what you expect from him. It’s scary, to be honest, what he can do. It’s really exciting to think about the future."

The future for Clemson is two more seasons at the top of college football, thanks to an unmatched continuity on the coaching staff and a similarly unmatched collection of talent at the offensive skill positions, nearly all underclassmen. Ross was a true freshman. Receiver Tee Higgins and running back Travis Etienne were sophomores. Lawrence has two more seasons before becoming eligible for the NFL draft.

He'll spend the rest of his Clemson career as the most watched college quarterback since Manning, as a likely top-overall pick and as the perfect prospect. Calling Lawrence the best true freshman quarterback he'd ever seen, longtime NFL personnel director Gil Brandt wrote on Twitter, "If I was running an NFL team, I'd be making trades for as many 2021 picks I could get my hands on." If Lawrence doesn't fulfill this destiny, "something will have gone wrong," Streeter joked.

Trevor Lawrence is the best true freshman QB I've ever seen. If I was running an NFL team, I'd be making trades for as many 2021 picks I could get my hands on.

Such are expectations for football's next big thing. Lawrence will top the preseason Heisman Trophy lists heading into his sophomore season. He'll be expected to complete every pass, or thereabouts, and to lead Clemson to another national championship. Expectations are that he'll be even better than that as a junior. He'll be automatically pegged for greatness. But Lawrence is already a star.

"That star was born a long time ago with that guy," said defensive coordinator Brent Venables.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts walks to the locker room before the 2019 College Football Playoff Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at Levi's Stadium. Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports